isithalal.food

Halal-conscious recipe

Chicken tamales without lard

Steamed chicken tamales with salsa verde, the masa beaten with vegetable shortening instead of lard, and Halal chicken and Halal-certified stock.

  • Cuisine Mexican
  • Meal Main
  • Difficulty Moderate
  • Yield 16 tamales
  • Time 1h 50m
  • Last updated

Each method follows published technique for the dish, and every Halal substitution is checked against the ingredient pages we cite. Photographs come from our ingredient library rather than the finished dish.

Printable view
Tamales wrapped in corn husks
Photograph from our ingredient library: tamales, not the finished dish.

Photo: Usernet123u · CC BY-SA 4.0

Why Halal checks matter here

Tamale masa is traditionally beaten with lard, which is pork fat, and the chicken and the broth that loosens the masa are only Halal from a Halal source.

Tamales are corn dough, masa, wrapped round a filling and steamed in a corn husk. Two things decide whether one is Halal: the fat beaten into the masa and the filling. The masa is traditionally made with lard, and many fillings are pork.

BBC Good Food's tamales already give vegetable shortening as the alternative to lard, so this version uses it, with a chicken and salsa verde filling. Check the pack lists plant oils only, as some shortenings are made from lard or tallow. The chicken needs Halal slaughter (see chicken), and so does the stock that loosens the masa: use one with a Halal certifier's mark (see stock cubes), or simmer the carcass of the roast chicken yourself.

Beat the shortening well before the masa goes in; the air it holds is what makes the dough light. The tamales page covers what to ask when you buy them.

Halal-critical ingredients

  • Lard in the masa Tamale masa is traditionally beaten with lard, which is pork fat, and the published recipe lists lard first. Use all-vegetable shortening, which the same recipe offers, and check that its label lists plant oils only: some shortenings are made from lard or tallow. When buying tamales or ready-made masa, ask which fat is in it. See Lard, Shortening and Tamales.
  • Roast chicken A supermarket rotisserie chicken is only Halal if the bird was Halal-slaughtered. Buy a Halal roast chicken, or roast a Halal chicken yourself. See Chicken.
  • Chicken stock Stock and stock cubes made from chicken need a Halal source, and some contain other animal fats. Use a stock with a Halal certifier's mark, or simmer the Halal chicken carcass yourself. See Stock cubes.

Safe substitutes

  • Lard → All-vegetable shortening The published recipe gives it as the alternative to lard.
  • Rotisserie chicken of unknown source → A Halal roast chicken
  • Chicken broth of unknown source → Halal-certified or home-made Halal chicken stock

Allergens

milk (crema, if used)

Ingredients

Masa

  • 16 dried corn husks
  • 115 g (½ cup) all-vegetable shortening, softened (not lard; the label should list plant oils only)
  • 300 g (2½ cups) masa harina
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 350 ml (1½ cups) Halal-certified or home-made Halal chicken stock

Filling and to serve

  • 1 Halal roast chicken
  • 240 ml (1 cup) salsa verde, plus extra to serve
  • to serve crema or soured cream
  • to serve coriander leaves
  • to serve onion, chopped

Method

  1. Soak the husks. Put the corn husks in a heatproof bowl, cover with very hot water and weigh them down so they stay under. Soak for 30 minutes.
  2. Beat the masa. Beat the vegetable shortening with a stand or hand mixer on medium speed until light and smooth, about 4 minutes. Add the masa harina, salt and baking powder and mix on low for 1 minute. With the mixer running, slowly pour in the stock until a soft, spongy dough forms, about 5 minutes.
  3. Make the filling. Take the meat off the Halal roast chicken, discarding the skin and bones, shred it and mix it with the salsa verde.
  4. Fill and fold. Drain the husks and pat them dry. Lay one flat with the narrow end towards you and spread 2 tablespoons of masa thinly over the upper middle, leaving about 7 cm clear at the bottom and 2.5 cm at each side. Spoon 2 tablespoons of filling down the centre. Fold one side over to the middle, fold the other side over it, then tuck the tail up to make a pouch open at the top. Repeat with the rest.
  5. Steam. Set a steamer basket in a large pot with water just touching its base and bring to the boil. Stand the tamales in the basket, open end up, cover, turn the heat to low and steam for 45 minutes to 1 hour, topping up the water if needed. They are done when the masa comes away cleanly from the husk; if it sticks, steam for 10 minutes more.
  6. Rest and serve. Leave them in the covered steamer for 5 minutes, then serve with extra salsa verde, crema, coriander and chopped onion. Unwrap the husk before eating; it is not eaten.

How this recipe was researched

Method adapted from BBC Good Food's 'Tamales' by Jennifer Joyce (16 soaked corn husks; 115 g fat beaten for 4 minutes, then 300 g masa harina, salt and baking powder, loosened with 350 ml chicken broth to a spongy dough; shredded rotisserie chicken mixed with 240 ml salsa verde; 2 tbsp masa and 2 tbsp filling per husk; steamed 45 minutes to 1 hour). That recipe offers lard or vegetable shortening; we use the shortening and specify a Halal roast chicken and Halal-certified or home-made Halal chicken stock. Timings follow the published technique rather than a kitchen test.

Technique and ingredient sources

  1. Tamales — BBC Good Food Retrieved:

    By Jennifer Joyce; serves 4: 16 corn husks, 115 g lard or vegetable shortening, 300 g masa harina, 1 tsp baking powder, 350 ml chicken broth, 1 rotisserie chicken, 240 ml salsa verde; masa beaten 4 minutes, filled husks steamed 45 minutes to 1 hour. We use the shortening and specify Halal chicken and stock.

  2. Tamales analysis — isithalal.food Retrieved:

    Lard in the masa and pork fillings: what to check in tamales.

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